Oil burner



Feb. 21; 1928.

J. D. LALOR OIL BURNER Filed Feb. 18, 1925 WITNESSES- INVENTOR:

f0 Jamesl). Lazar, ZQ BY W I y /fi T0RNEYs.

Feb. 21, 1928.

J. D. LALOR OIL BURNER Filed Feb. 18, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR dZxmc's 1). Labor BY' fizz NE YS.

Feb. 21, 1928,

J.- D. LALOR OIL-BURNER Filed Feb Q18, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR lames 1111mm;

ORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 21, 19 28 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. A

JAMES D. LALOR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE LALOB FUEL OIL SYSTEM COMPANY, INC., 013 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARY- LAND.

OIL BURNER.

Application filed February 18, 1925. Serial No. 10,049.

This invention relates to oil burners, more specifically to a type useful in firing furnacies, steam boilers, etc., and particularly although not essentially adapted for consumption of fuel oils of the heavier grades and varieties. Burners heretofore designed for this purpose could be more properly classed as atomizers-for the reason that they functioned only to break up the liqu1d combustible into the form of a spray, a sultable pressure atomizing medium or agent, such as compressed air or steam, belng usually employed to aid in the process, and separate or auxiliary means depended upon to furnish the air necessary to support combustion of the fuel spray in the furnace. Obv1ously under these circumstances, perfect carburetion; or, in other words, thorough vaporization and intimate intermingling ofthe fuel with the combustion-support ng air could not be obtained.

The main object of my invention s to overcome the objections above noted, 1. e., to enable carburetion to be efiected directly within the burner so that a properly mlxed combustible discharge is had,'and the necessity for reliance upon extra or auxiliary appara'tus for supplying the combustion-supporting air obviated. I

My invention is further directed toward attaining the' advantages reclted in a carbureting burner with "PIOVIS10I1 enabling employment of a gaseous combustible omtly with li uid fuel, or either of the two separately or commingling with air to form .the combustible discharge. i,

With reference to thedrawlngs, Fig. I IS a sectional view of an oil burner-conveniently embodying my invention:

Fi s. II and III are perspective views of certaindetachable parts of the oil atomiz'ing' nozzleforming part ofthe burner.

Fig. IV is a face view of a whorl by WhlCh the combustion-supporting air 15 gyrated for interaction with the oil atomized by the nozzle.

Fig. V is asectional view s1m1lar to Fig.1 of an alternative form of my lmproved burner. a

Fig. "VI is a fragmentary elevation of the tip of the nozzle of the burner shown m F1 II. Fig. VII is a sectional elevation of a still taken as indicated by the arrows VIII- VIII in Fig. VII.

The type of burner shown in Fig. I comprises a casing 1 having the shape of an elbow which is internally threaded at one of its extremities 2 for connection to a pipe 3 that leads from a source of low pressure supply (not shown) of preheated combustion-supporting air. The other extremity 4 of the casing 1 is exteriorly threaded to receive a removable cap member 5 with a central constricted aperture 6 through which discharge from the burner takes place. Projecting rearwardly from the casing 1 in alignment with its extremity 4, is an integral hollow boss 8 into which is fitted the atomizing nozzle 9, the elongated tubular body 10 whereof, extends throughthe air flow space in the casing 1 and terminates at e a point slightly inward of said extremity 4 as shown. The rearward protruding portion of the atomizer body 10 has a C11Cllmferential flange 11, which, in the assembly, abuts against the end of the boss 8; and a retaining collar 12 screwed-onto said boss engages the flange 11 from the opposite side to hold the nozzle-securely within the casing 1. The outer end of the atomizer body 10 is internally threaded as at 13 for connection to an angle needle valve 14 whereby the supply of oil conducted to the burner through a pipe 15 may be conveniently controlled. The inner end of the hollow atomizer body 10 is counter recessed at 16 to receive a core piece 17 constituting one of the components of the nozzle proper. From Fig. II it will be noted that the core piece 17 is generally cylindric, although having one end somewhat diametrically reduced as at 18 and fashioned to frusto-conical configuration, while its other end is circumferentiall .extended as at 19 to a diameter correspon ing substantially-to that of the recess 16, see Fig. I. Screwed into said recess 16 is a plug or tip 20 with an axial hollow corresponding in shape to the frusto-conical end of the ible washer 22-for example of asbestos in a sheathing of soft metal. such as copperis interposed between the circumferentially enlarged end 19 of the core piece 17 and the shoulder in the bottom of the recess 16. A central duct 23 in the core piece 17 registers with the main bore" through the atomizer 9, and its lateral branches deliver to an annular space24 afforded in the nozzle tip 20 as a result of the slight diametrical reduction of said core piece at 18. A small circular axial cavity formed in the tip 20 provided by-a counter recess 25 in the hollow of the latter, is approached by a number of tangentially-disposed channels 26 established by virtue of grooves 26 in the conical surface of the core piece 17 as shown to the best advantage in Fig. II. Etflux from the cavity 25.takes place through a very minute axial orifice 27 in the tip 20, said orifice terminating at the posterior end in a decided flare 28 that facilitates expansion of the discharge from the nozzle 9. A helical insert piece 29 held in place Within the bore of the nozzle 9 between an internal shoulder of the latter and the nipple of the valve 14, defines an exatomizer bod tensive spiral course 30 for the liquid combustible, the ends of the spiral communicating with the nozzle bore via by-passes 31, 32. The space 33 within the burner beyond the end of the atomizing nozzle 9 due to the convergent approach 34 of the opening 6 in the cap piece 5, functions as a mixing chamber into which the combustion-supporting air traversing the space surrounding the nozzle 9, enters through a whorl or impeller 35. As shown in Fig. IV, this impeller 35 is formed as an integral structure with spaced concentric outer and inner rings 36 and 37, respectively, which are joined by a series of radial angularly pitched vanes 38. The impeller 35 is screwed into the end 4 of the casing 1 of the burner, and retained in lace by the cap 5 in a manner obvious rom Fig. I. v

In the operation of the burner just de scribed in detail, the oil delivered to the 'atomizing nozzle 9 under control of the needle valve 14, is obliged to follow the circuitous course 30 defined by the helix 29, and warmed by contact with the walls of the 10 which are maintained hot by constant ow thereabout of preheated air passing through the casing 1. In its further progress, the oil warmed as just ex-- plained, enters the axial duct 23 in the core piece 17, and is conducted by the lateral branches of saidduct, to the annular space 24, from whence it passes by way of the tangential channels 26, into the small circular cavity 25 in a gyrating condition. The issue from the minute orifice 27 in the tip 20 takes the form of a fine whirling spray of atomized liquid, the same diverging while discharging into the mixing chamber 33 as rea ers tion through the impeller 35 circumferent'ally about the nozzle end, the interaction being intensified due to the attenuating influence of the convergent approach 34 of the discharge aperture 6. As a result of enforced commingling action as between the warmed oil spray and the preheated air within the restricted confines of the chamber 33, the atomization yields readily to being vaporized so that a homogeneous mixture is discharged from the burner as a highly combustible vapor. In .actual practice, a suitable type of valve or other control means (not shown) is interposed in the conduit 3 to govern flow of preheated combustion-supporting air to the burner.

The burner illustrated in Fig. V is designed for installations or systems where larger capacities are desired, and in which an atomizing agent such as compressed air or steam is preferably employed to more effectively break up the oil. In general,this modification will be observed as similar to the form shown in Fig. I, and parts that are identical have. accordingly. been indicated. by the same reference numerals. In this instance, the atomizing' nozzle 9 is encased with a tubular jacket 40 with provision of a surrounding interspace 41 for passage of the atomizing agent which enters through a duct 42 terminating in a nipple 43 extendmg laterally from the rearward projecting end of the nozzle 9. A needle valve 44 for controlling the supply of the atom'izing agent, serves also as a coupling whereby connection may be made to a pipe 45. A circumferential enlargement 46 about the inner end of the atomizer 9 forms an obstruction 1n the jacket 40, and has 'angularly directed slots 47 cut in its periphery at intervals as shown in Fig. VI. In passing through the channels formed by these inclined slots 47, the atomizing medium is gyrated to meet the swirling spray of oil injected by the nozzle 9 into a chamber 48 which is formed jointly by the posterior flare 28 of the orifice 27 'in the nozzle tip 20 and the convergent approach to anaxial opening 49 in a. similar, though larger tip 50 closing the end of the sleeve 40. Entry to the chamber 48 is by jected as in the first described embo iment of my invention, into the mixing chamber 33 for interaction with the swirling combustionsupporting air introduced'through the impeller 35. The largerproportioning of the burner of Big. V enables employment of a comparatively longer helix 29; and it is to' be noted thatin this instance-the sleeve 40 is exposed to the preheated air passing through the casing 1 so that when cold air is used as the atomizing agent, the Same, as well as the oil passing through the nozzle 9, is warmed to the advantage of more efficient operation of the burner. When preheated air or steam is used as the atomizing agent, t e oil is of course warmed to a correspondingly higher degree.

Fig. VII shows a slight modification over the immediately preceding structure in that provision is, in this case, made for delivery of gaseous combustible to the air passage for induction with the air, into the mixing chamber, and for conjoint interaction with the atomized oil spray concurrently injected. To this end, the burner casing 1 has formed within it, an annular hollow 55 to which the a gaseous combustible is conducted through a pipe 56. The open end of the annular hollow is covered by a removable annulus 57 with a multiplicity of small apertures 58 therethrough arranged in. staggered relation as shown in Fig. VIII. Thus, in the operation .ofthis type of burner, the aseous combustilole is uniformly distribute and hence diffused in passing through the foraminous annulus 57 into the air passage, the velocity of the air assisting such flow and diffusion of the gas. With this arrangement therefore, producer or natural gas, (whichever may be available) and fuel oil; can be used together in different proportlons, in the burner, or separately as found convenient or desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination in a carburetin burner of op osedly concaved means a ording paralleled interacting mixing chambers, a nozzle including an enclosed helix for spraying atomized liquid combustible into one of said chambers with gyratory flow, means defining a gyratory flow of atomizing medium into said chamber, means providing an annular space surrounding the nozzle through which combustion-supporting air is conducted enroute to the other mixing chamher, and a circumferential passage in the burner casing from which gaseous combustible is difl'used through a foraminous annulus into the space aforesaid for concurrent delivery with the combustion-supporting air to the mixing chamber.

2. The combination in a carbureting burner of opposedly concaved means afl'ording innor and outer interacting mixing chambers,

a nozzle for spraying atomized liquid combustible into the inner chamber with gyratory flow, means defining a gyratory flow of atomizing medium into said inner chamber, means providing a space for conducting combustion-supporting air into the outer mixing chamber through a whorl extending circumferentially' about the burner nozzle, and means to difiuse gaseous combustible into the air flow space for passage through the whorl and introduction in a gyratory condition into said outer mixing chamber concurrently with the atomized liquid combustible.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 13th day of February, 1925.

JAMES D. LALOR. 

